Māras


Māras or Māra Day was a Latvian festival, devoted to Māra, an ancient deity, and was celebrated on 15 August. According to solar calendar, Māras marks the midpoint between Jāņi, which is summer solstice, and Miķeļi, that represents the end of the harvest season. The actual date, likely, is the result of Christian influence, identifying Māra with Virgin Mary, whose devoted holiday is observed on 15 August.